ROOM: You work in so many different creative mediums, what is it about poetry to draws you?

VS: I formally came to poetry when I wanted to make art about racism and white supremacy. Unlike other mediums, I loved that poetry didn't demand answers from me. Instead, it allowed me to ask questions.

ROOM:Who are your influences in poetry?

VS: Amber Dawn and Leah Horlick were huge inspirations and supporters when I was writing my first collection, even this page is white. Most recently, I fell in love with There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker.

ROOM:Your new book, I'm Afraid of Men, is coming out this fall. It deals with imposed masculinity from a young age. How did you find the exploration of such a deep-set experience?

VS: Truthfully, it was a challenging experience, one that impacted even my subconscious state. I often had dreams of being violently attacked by men in the writing process.

ROOM:How has being an artist formed the topics that you explore?

VS: It’s often the other way around. For me, creation begins with trying to discern how best to turn the ideas/topics I am interested in exploring into art.

ROOM:On top of all your amazing projects, you also have an imprint with Arsenal Pulp Press called VS. Books. Can you tell us a bit about that?

VS: VS. Books is a publishing and mentorship opportunity for a BIPOC writer between the ages of 18-28. Writers are invited to sent me a complete manuscript in almost any genre, and the selected writer will work with me for a year on their book until it’s published through the imprint.

ROOM:Can we just talk for a second about how amazing the I'm Afraid of Men remix featuring Peaches is! How did that come about?

VS: The upcoming book actually emerged from a song with that same title that was on my 2017 album, Part-Time Woman. I wanted to explore a more aggressive side of the song and wanted this remix to feature another woman, for a different perspective and energy. Peaches was my #1 dream for the track and to my surprise, when I asked her if she was interested. she said yes!